Oliphant Watch: The Pig Busts In

This one makes sense, which is a letdown, of course. No pointing and giggling.

Obama has got a ton of things to deal with, what with the breakdown of the financial system and the foundering of America’s automakers. The financial firms and car companies are huge institutions, they have their hands out, and they have shone a good deal of selfishness, so thinking of them as pigs comes naturally enough. Now there is a new, large, very different, and unexpected problem called swine flu — another pig, and it’s busting down the door as Obama says, “What now?” So, yeah, all of that tracks.

We get the message only because the two little nattering figures at the edge of the cartoon bother to fill us in. But that’s a technical blemish, not an example of craziness. The point of the cartoon, though not crazy, isn’t all that interesting — another problem for the president? damn! — but what the hell. That’s still a really good giant pig Oliphant draws for us.

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But! Oliphant might be paying attention, because the next day’s comic is kinda wacky, with a giant policeman searching for “the waterboard gang”. I guess the guy in German attire from a previous cartoon was supposed to be Rumsfeld, because now he’s labeled as such. I’m not sure what the message is here. We know who all the perpetrators are, so we don’t really need to search for them. I guess they know they did wrong, so they’re hiding? Eh, maybe it’s an excuse to draw those dark bricks; they look nice.

And the day after that is another one that makes sense, but holy crap is it freaky, with a horrific depiction of Rush Limbaugh (I think?) as a fat, slobbish, redneck housewife. Man, that one’s imagery is nightmare-inducing. And look at all those details: a tire, a giant bra hanging from a lamp, rats, a half-full wine glass, an overflowing trash can. And the labels are pretty amusing too; in case we don’t know who Arlen is, he has “Specter” on his briefcase, and the elephant in the background (which is different from the “elephant in the room”, because that doesn’t make sense) isn’t enough to indicate Republicanism, so the door has to say “GOP”. Man, just have some confidence that people will get your gist, Pat.

“I guess the guy in German attire from a previous cartoon was supposed to be Rumsfeld, because now he’s labeled as such.”

Yeah, pretty open and shut. Score one for the commenter who was defending the cartoon. I guess the little bike guy must be Bush — sorry, chief.

“another one that makes sense, but holy crap is it freaky … Rush Limbaugh (I think?) as a fat, slobbish, redneck housewife … nightmare-inducing. And look at all those details …”

Hey, it tracks. What it’s saying isn’t so interesting, kind of one-dimensional — long-suffering Arlen Specter, none of the weasel aspect of his nature in sight — but Oliphant makes the picture come alive.

Yeah, elephant, Rush and “GOP” equal Republican. Hey, works for me. What with all the setting’s detail, maybe you got to do a little something extra to keep the allegory from getting drowned out. I mean, those bra cups kind of dominate the brain. Oy!